PDA

View Full Version : New Passat B8 review



Riker
24-10-2015, 05:25 PM
Hi all,

Dropped into the local dealer to view the new Passat & my very first impression was that it most definitely looks better in the flesh than in pics & vids. However in this new B8 as opposed to the old B7 the sedan now looks the better than the wagon. Subjective of course but the sedan does look good.

On offer today was a R-line 2.0 TDi wagon (140kw) & an R-line 2.0 TSi sedan (132kw). Both were fully specced & certainly looked & felt more upmarket than the B7's. Space is a bit of a revelation in comparison to the B7 which was good but the B8 is better thanks to the longer wheelbase & better packaging.

I elected to drive the TSi sedan cos' I ain't no fan of diesel & it looked better than the wagon. In R-line the progressive steering is standard & immediately the car feels more taught & better sorted than the B7's. It does turn in quicker than B7 but as reported is a bit choppy in sport mode running on the 19's. However, that is never really to intrusive & if needed can be sorted if switched to normal or comfort modes. As is always the case when taking a seat in a German car it feels solid & secure & sound insulation is very good. Radio was good in both AM-FM & the 8" screen with oodles of info available is a big winner.

Back to the cabin space question, leg room is fantastic as is foot room in the drivers footwell. In the pics of the cabin, specifically the rear seat pic you will see where the drivers seat is & subsequent room behind it. I am 6-2' fella's & leg room behind drivers seat was excellent. In comparison to the B7, the B8's cabin seems to sit lower or better put whilst more spacious still makes you feel snug & well cocooned. The sport seats are comfortable however a full memory-electric function is surprisingly not available at all. Not good enough VAG......!!!!!!

The 132kw-250nm 2.0ltr TSi with front wheel drive is willing & free revving but there is a little lag which is sorted by going into paddle shift mode. Ultimately though if like me you are coming from the 3.6 V6 then a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it is still a great engine but it needs more. Coming from the V6 petrol Passat with 4-motion the obvious choice should be the 206kw 380nm 4-motion Golf R engine & drivetrain for the Passat. It is available in other markets such as NZ. VAG, are you listening....?

In summary, very impressed with the new B8's. Well packaged, as solid as ever & now better looking. Just need a better engine & drivetrain option at the top of the list & no, not the Bi-turbo diesel. I'm talking 206kw & 4-motion of petrol goodness.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_142442.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_142442.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_142516.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_142516.1.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_142455.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_142455.1.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_143837.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_143837.1.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_134800.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_134800.1.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/20151024_135148.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_135148.1.jpg.html)

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2015/10/20151024_1351391-1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/20151024_135139.1.jpg.html)

pseudofusion
24-10-2015, 05:58 PM
The <200kw option has me shopping elsewhere when moving on from my V6 Highline wagon. That faux-executive trophy clock in the centre of the dash seems to have unfortunately survived to the new B8 though.

Elmura
24-10-2015, 10:58 PM
Side profile looks like BMW. Nice looking front

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

tigger73
25-10-2015, 07:44 AM
I saw a base model wagon the other day and it looked like.... a wagon. Styling wise the sedan looks a lot cleaner and I also like the R-line kit.

However it looks more purposeful than what is under the bonnet now. Shame there's no proper sports model in the range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

entice
25-10-2015, 10:33 AM
1963119630
I saw a base model wagon the other day and it looked like.... a wagon. Styling wise the sedan looks a lot cleaner and I also like the R-line kit.

However it looks more purposeful than what is under the bonnet now. Shame there's no proper sports model in the range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Base model, simply put, looks ugly. Who signed off on the base model wheels??? R-Line wagon looks quite agressive compared to outgoing models

00100100
25-10-2015, 10:12 PM
To me the B7 lost the sporty look that the B6 had. Now the B8 looks smarter and lightly meaner/sportier. I really like the shape improvement.

This time VAG is definitely trying to target a different market. I dont think the 4 motion option did very well for them in the B7. I drive a 3.6 B7 Highline, great car, but most people wouldnt care about the 4 motion, they will however care that it is an R-Line. Personally, 4 motion was a selling point for me.

DarkStar69
26-10-2015, 04:16 PM
I don't know about anyone else but I am getting more and more disappointed as details trickle out. Most of the things that would make this good car great, to me at least, are missing. Even just taking the Australian press release, Volkswagen News < Volkswagen Australia < Why VW? (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/en/company/volkswagen_australia/volkswagen_news.suffix.suffix.html/2014~2FVolkswagen-reveals-first-technical-details-of-all-new-passat.html), which highlights specific systems/technologies, and so would seem to indicate what we will be getting them, are now not actually going to be available. In fact most of them are not.

We get:
City Emergency Braking
Modular Infotainment System
Park Assist
Rear Traffic Alert
Side Assist

Miss out on:
4MOTION all-wheel drive
360-degree Area View
Active Info Display
bi-turbo diesel
Car-Net remote app
Dynamic Light Assist
Emergency Assist
Front Assist
heads-up display
plug-in hybrid
Traffic Jam Assist
Trailer Assist

I'm almost at the point where I'll wait for the new Audi A4 in Feb, which I'm sure is exactly the intent behind these decisions. However if I do that I would also seriously consider the BMW and MB alternatives so VAG is risking a guaranteed VW sale for the possibility of a future Audi one.

00100100
26-10-2015, 06:00 PM
I don't know about anyone else but I am getting more and more disappointed as details trickle out. Most of the things that would make this good car great, to me at least, are missing. Even just taking the Australian press release, Volkswagen News < Volkswagen Australia < Why VW? (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/en/company/volkswagen_australia/volkswagen_news.suffix.suffix.html/2014~2FVolkswagen-reveals-first-technical-details-of-all-new-passat.html), which highlights specific systems/technologies, and so would seem to indicate what we will be getting them, are now not actually going to be available. In fact most of them are not.

I'm almost at the point where I'll wait for the new Audi A4 in Feb, which I'm sure is exactly the intent behind these decisions. However if I do that I would also seriously consider the BMW and MB alternatives so VAG is risking a guaranteed VW sale for the possibility of a future Audi one.

With the B7, when if first came out in 2011, it also missed out on a lot of options that were already released in Euro countries. However they were added gradually in subsequent years. May be wait for the 2017 module hehehe

Steve
26-10-2015, 08:21 PM
I think VW/Audi Australia think brand loyalty is stronger than it really is. Once I figured out the B8 as sold here would be completely underwhelming I didn't even consider the Audi alternative. I took my money and ran.

Albatraozz
26-10-2015, 09:14 PM
Car-Net remote app
Dynamic Light Assist
Emergency Assist
Front Assist
Traffic Jam Assist
Area View


Are you sure we miss out on these features? I thought at least Area View was included!

DarkStar69
27-10-2015, 10:28 AM
Are you sure we miss out on these features? I thought at least Area View was included!

I believe they are not available though I would love to be wrong. I can find no trace of them in any info from VAG, other than the announcement last year, and the dealers don't know of them either. Though that is not a clear indication really as they seem to not understand even what has been confirmed.

One example is a dealer proudly informing me that the CEB would only slow the car down by exactly 30 KPH. The example he used was that at 40 KPH it would apply the brake and then once it had reduced it to 10 it would stop breaking and allow the accident to take place but at a reduced 10 KPH! What a great system! Except fortunately that is not how it works. I know better and so that rubbish did not put me off but anyone else test driving the car who had not researched it might understandably think that it was not as good as systems offered by other car manufacturers.

Another dealer informed me that yes it did have Car Net and it was the two SD card slots in the glove box. I then informed them of what Car Net really was and they became quite enthusiastic about it till they remembered that we did not have it in Australia.

I find it ironic that they are selling the new Passat as "the thinking car" when in fact they have chosen to give it a partial lobotomy, only allow it to attend primary school and bared it even from high school never mind university.

topsniper
27-10-2015, 11:30 AM
In the brochure on the VW Australia official website, it says the comfortline and highline get RVC plus with multi-angle views and dynamic guide lines. Is it the 360 area view with a different name?

Elmura
27-10-2015, 11:48 AM
Of course, if you're not happy with what's on offer, you can head over to Merc or BMW. Just don't expect they'll give you all those goodies you're wanting out of the kindness of their heart. Expect another 30% higher cost optioned up over the Passat

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

topsniper
27-10-2015, 01:43 PM
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/attachments/f27/19652-new-passat-b8-review-cd5641900342277480988-jpg

This is what we get in Australia. As you can see from this picture, trailer assist is an available option, but I didn't find the option for 360 area view. Can any of you see any icon on the RVC screen indicates the 360 area view is available?

topsniper
27-10-2015, 02:01 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yQr5yMwE7g

Compare the picture with the above video, at 1:55, you can see we got exactly the same RVC system. Fortunately, we have 360 area view available on the new B8.

DarkStar69
27-10-2015, 03:12 PM
Of course, if you're not happy with what's on offer, you can head over to Merc or BMW. Just don't expect they'll give you all those goodies you're wanting out of the kindness of their heart. Expect another 30% higher cost optioned up over the Passat

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

I don't expect anything out of kindness and am wiling and happy to pay for them. Issue i have is that VAG won't offer some of them i particularly wanted here even though they do elsewhere. As for the other manufacturers they have, as you indicate, a premium built in for the brand above and beyond the value of the goodies. I don't see the value in paying more merely to get a 3 pointed star when a VW has all that i want technology/performance wise. Having said that if i was rolling in cash i probably would get an AMG S or E class but as it is I'm not so will probably decide on the Passat as it will be a good family car just not as great as it could be.

DarkStar69
27-10-2015, 03:22 PM
This is what we get in Australia. As you can see from this picture, trailer assist is an available option, but I didn't find the option for 360 area view. Can any of you see any icon on the RVC screen indicates the 360 area view is available?

Is that in a Highline or a Comfortline?

topsniper
27-10-2015, 03:27 PM
It is a comfortline.

Check this out:

2015 Volkswagen Passat 132TSI Comfortline B8 Auto MY16 (http://www.carsales.com.au/bncis/details/Volkswagen-Passat-2015/OAG-AD-12044082/?Cr=2)

Cossor
27-10-2015, 04:48 PM
In the brochure on the VW Australia official website, it says the comfortline and highline get RVC plus with multi-angle views and dynamic guide lines. Is it the 360 area view with a different name?

Saw a Toyota Hybrid Camry with identical rear view camera and dynamic guide lines as per my B7
Integrated with front/rear sensors.
After all, VW camera comes from Japan!

Riker
28-10-2015, 11:40 AM
I am very much still of the opinion that a 'sport' orientated model such as a 206kw 4-motion Passat is coming at some stage & so is my local dealer. Makes no sense not to have one considering that every other model in the VW portfolio has a 'sport' model & every previous model of the Passat at least had a petrol 'performance' orientated model, AKA the V6. The introduction of the Bi-turbo diesel with 4-motion is likely & VAG may decide this will be the performance direction chosen for the B8 Passat but that then alienates all of us that have petrol Passats, well most of us anyway & I believe VAG wound't do that. This is the time with the current 'diesel gate' issue that various petrol Passats should be pushed & pushed hard. Maybe a limited edition Wolfsburg B8 Passat with Golf R engine & running gear may be offered... The combination of petrol & 4-motion was/is very popular as seen with the B6 R36, B7 Highline V6 & for arguments sake still is with Golf R.

Just a matter of time I expect fella's & as I mentioned last month in another thread it may be we will see something revealed for AUS market at the same time the Alltrack Passat is released 2nd-3rd quarter 2016. Always hopeful cos that B8 Passat with Golf R engine & drivetrain would be awesome.... Lucky kiwi's.....!


I saw a base model wagon the other day and it looked like.... a wagon. Styling wise the sedan looks a lot cleaner and I also like the R-line kit.

However it looks more purposeful than what is under the bonnet now. Shame there's no proper sports model in the range.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


To me the B7 lost the sporty look that the B6 had. Now the B8 looks smarter and lightly meaner/sportier. I really like the shape improvement.

This time VAG is definitely trying to target a different market. I dont think the 4 motion option did very well for them in the B7. I drive a 3.6 B7 Highline, great car, but most people wouldnt care about the 4 motion, they will however care that it is an R-Line. Personally, 4 motion was a selling point for me.

Cossor
31-10-2015, 04:55 PM
Driving Profile selection.

Can anyone tell me just what this can do?
OK, I understand it may alter throttle response.Perhaps affect steering for a more sporty feel.
But, and this is a big but, can it also alter suspension settings as in ACC I had on Golf?

Riker
01-11-2015, 04:40 PM
Along with the changing characteristics of the steering & throttle response it also firms up the suspension.


Driving Profile selection.

Can anyone tell me just what this can do?
OK, I understand it may alter throttle response.Perhaps affect steering for a more sporty feel.
But, and this is a big but, can it also alter suspension settings as in ACC I had on Golf?

Cossor
13-11-2015, 05:00 PM
Dropped into local dealer.
Looked at new Diesel and petrol Passat.
Really like the appearance.
BUT relating to diesel-gate, I noted ADBLUE filler cap beside diesel cap.
So, diesel fuel is cheaper than 98. But, add in cost of adblue, plus not available
at all places supplying diesel, plus added maintenance costs due to adblue, plus in case cat converter
requires replacement, a lot of diesel advantage much reduced.
However re petrol, it appears big recall in USA due to faulty camshafts.
Poor USA quality control? or bad design?:facepalm:
I think I have to wait till all this bad news becomes resolved before upgrading.
PS local VW sales manager looked rather pale and tired. Not sleeping well? :P

entice
13-11-2015, 09:36 PM
Dropped into local dealer.
Looked at new Diesel and petrol Passat.
Really like the appearance.
BUT relating to diesel-gate, I noted ADBLUE filler cap beside diesel cap.
So, diesel fuel is cheaper than 98. But, add in cost of adblue, plus not available
at all places supplying diesel, plus added maintenance costs due to adblue, plus in case cat converter
requires replacement, a lot of diesel advantage much reduced.
However re petrol, it appears big recall in USA due to faulty camshafts.
Poor USA quality control? or bad design?:facepalm:
I think I have to wait till all this bad news becomes resolved before upgrading.
PS local VW sales manager looked rather pale and tired. Not sleeping well? :P

Ok..
if it helps.
the adblue tank is 13L capacity
on average driving (depending on your definition of average), this should equate to around 12000km's.
cost of adblue per L is approx half the price of diesel per L. Last I saw it it was around 60cpl.
that equates to an additional $7.80 per 12000kms.

These figures may help you with your calculations....

Elmura
14-11-2015, 06:11 AM
^^ as he said plus: cat converter won't need changing for a decade at least. Adblue doesn't need to be available everywhere, you need it once a year, you'll have plenty of time to find a supplier.
Also, what additional maintenance are you talking about? Again, how often?

Diesel will get you brilliant fuel economy & torque. Petrol is for the revhead.

Revhead by nature

entice
17-11-2015, 10:12 PM
I must apologise.

Adblue was 90cpl at the servo I passed on the weekend. Make that $11.70 per 12500kms....

DarkStar69
21-11-2015, 09:27 AM
Picked my car up yesterday so not completely familiar with it but if anyone has any questions ask and I'll endeavor to answer them. I decided on a white comfortline with the luxury and r-line packs. Overall happy with it but as i said earlier this good car could be great if only VAG had not neutered it for the Australian market.

I decided not to get the highline as after the two packs are added to a comfortline there is very little you are are missing out on that would justify the approx $5k difference. The big one obviously is the diesel but that is a negative for me anyway as i really think, based on test drives, it's torque is a little too high for a FWD and needs a AWD to go with it.

Buzy_Robot
21-11-2015, 04:48 PM
Picked my car up yesterday so not completely familiar with it but if anyone has any questions ask and I'll endeavor to answer them. I decided on a white comfortline with the luxury and r-line packs. Overall happy with it but as i said earlier this good car could be great if only VAG had not neutered it for the Australian market.

I decided not to get the highline as after the two packs are added to a comfortline there is very little you are are missing out on that would justify the approx $5k difference. The big one obviously is the diesel but that is a negative for me anyway as i really think, based on test drives, it's torque is a little too high for a FWD and needs a AWD to go with it.

Congrats DarkStar69! Despite the scandal (and overly high proportion of naysayers) I reckon you've made a fine choice.

I'm still thinking of trading in my MY13 B7 125 TDI Highline Passat for a new B8, but I'm not sure if I should go petrol or stick with diesel. Sounds like the petrol performs well anyway, but it all depends on test driving both variants. A few questions for you:

1) Is yours a sedan or wagon and did you do a trade-in?

2) Is there any low speed jerkiness apparent with the 7 speed DSG?

3) Does the smartphone integration work well with Apple or Andriod?

Anyway, enjoy your new toy!

DarkStar69
21-11-2015, 10:37 PM
Congrats DarkStar69! Despite the scandal (and overly high proportion of naysayers) I reckon you've made a fine choice.

I'm still thinking of trading in my MY13 B7 125 TDI Highline Passat for a new B8, but I'm not sure if I should go petrol or stick with diesel. Sounds like the petrol performs well anyway, but it all depends on test driving both variants. A few questions for you:

1) Is yours a sedan or wagon and did you do a trade-in?

2) Is there any low speed jerkiness apparent with the 7 speed DSG?

3) Does the smartphone integration work well with Apple or Andriod?

Anyway, enjoy your new toy!

Thanks Buzy_Robot.

I got the sedan as the wagon just "felt" odd, probably as all my cars have always been sedans. I did trade in my old car. It was a 2012 Honda Civic Sport. Got a much better deal on it than I expected based on other evaluations.

Only been driving it a day,, and the only slow or stop start driving was on Punt Road/Hoddle Street coming home this evening, but i did not notice any jerkiness. The new Passat is supposed to have a newly designed 7 speed DSG so maybe they have sorted it?

I have an android phone, Samsung Galaxy S4 to be specific, and the integration is the best of any car I have owned or even been in. It is just as if i was using the phone itself but using the cars interface instead. Very clear calls and full contacts, call history and messages etc. All functions I've tried so far has been voice controllable also. Have only had a quick play with the App Connect functionality, i.e. tested Android Auto works, so not sure of it yet.

I've been trying to enjoy it as much as possible but the missus decided to borrow it for most of the afternoon. Verdict was she liked it a lot too. Might lead to time sharing issues in the future! We both agree though that we don't like the stop/start engine function. You can turn it off but only for the current trip and need to remember to do so again next time the car is restarted. I am considering getting a VCDS if that is one of the setting I can change with it.

Buzy_Robot
22-11-2015, 09:19 AM
Thanks Buzy_Robot.

I got the sedan as the wagon just "felt" odd, probably as all my cars have always been sedans. I did trade in my old car. It was a 2012 Honda Civic Sport. Got a much better deal on it than I expected based on other evaluations.

Only been driving it a day,, and the only slow or stop start driving was on Punt Road/Hoddle Street coming home this evening, but i did not notice any jerkiness. The new Passat is supposed to have a newly designed 7 speed DSG so maybe they have sorted it?

I have an android phone, Samsung Galaxy S4 to be specific, and the integration is the best of any car I have owned or even been in. It is just as if i was using the phone itself but using the cars interface instead. Very clear calls and full contacts, call history and messages etc. All functions I've tried so far has been voice controllable also. Have only had a quick play with the App Connect functionality, i.e. tested Android Auto works, so not sure of it yet.

I've been trying to enjoy it as much as possible but the missus decided to borrow it for most of the afternoon. Verdict was she liked it a lot too. Might lead to time sharing issues in the future! We both agree though that we don't like the stop/start engine function. You can turn it off but only for the current trip and need to remember to do so again next time the car is restarted. I am considering getting a VCDS if that is one of the setting I can change with it.

All sounds good, but I concur with your summation of the start/stop system - a PITA!! After almost 3 years I haven't really gotten used to it and invariably disable it on most trips. At times it can be sluggish to restart - particularly disconcerting at large roundabouts! I'm not convinced of its benefits and it's questionable seeing it adopted by other car makers as well. As you say, the driver should be able to disable it permanently rather than the current default.

Also good to have some positive discussion around the B8 Passat. I recall back in 2011 when the B7 Passat was released there was a lot more positive and sustained discussion here and over at Whirlpool, but now it's almost non-existent. Hmmm .....

GTP044
23-11-2015, 07:22 AM
We pick up our Highline sedan with luxury pack and R line pack tomorrow. Can't wait!!!!
This time last year my wife and I were a 3 Ford car family. A 2003 GTP Falcon, a 2012 Territory and a 2014 Focus. Now a 2 VW family. 2015 Amarok and now the Passat. We have loved the Rok and reckon the new Passat will be a great thing.

Albatraozz
23-11-2015, 12:41 PM
We pick up our Highline sedan with luxury pack and R line pack tomorrow. Can't wait!!!!
This time last year my wife and I were a 3 Ford car family. A 2003 GTP Falcon, a 2012 Territory and a 2014 Focus. Now a 2 VW family. 2015 Amarok and now the Passat. We have loved the Rok and reckon the new Passat will be a great thing.

Can you please give us a full review when you have taken delivery? I'm very keen to buy the Highline Estate.

GTP044
23-11-2015, 04:12 PM
Can you please give us a full review when you have taken delivery? I'm very keen to buy the Highline Estate.
Will do mate.

Gusbo
23-11-2015, 04:27 PM
Hi All,

I've been looking at updating my MY10 TDi Passat with the new B8, but have to agree with Riker.....
The sport seats are comfortable however a full memory-electric function is surprisingly not available at all. Not good enough VAG......!!!!!
I've visited 2 dealers to confirm that this option is not available to Australia:facepalm: I also sent an email to VAG stating that they're own website "Build & Price" Quote [Only MY16 vehicles are configurable (excluding Golf Cabriolet). The information, pictures, colours, and specifications contained within the Volkswagen Group Australia website are presented as a general guide to the products and accessories offered by Volkswagen Group Australia], to which approximately a week later I received a phone call from VW customer service who whilst being very understanding regarding the omission and overall lack of overall choice proceeded to inform me that I could engage an after market supplier to fit memory seats!!!

If VW truly wishes to sell me a new B8, it's not really helping itself :stupid: If VW Australia really want my sale then maybe they should look over the ditch and see what NZ have on offer... Surely Australia have a bigger market than New Zealand?

Anyway I have at least vented some frustrations, if anything!

booba
23-11-2015, 06:19 PM
No electric seats, dynaudio, active lcd dash thingy, hi performance petrol.. vag have lost it.

topsniper
24-11-2015, 02:09 PM
Placed an order and signed the contract yesterday. I ended up getting a white Comfortline wagon with Luxury Pack. I'm actually after Tungsten Silver at the beginning, but the earliest date the dealer can get it will be March 2016. As I need to trade in my Golf wagon, they can't hold the trade in price for that long. The reflex silver is a bit too boring, and the Indium Grey is too dark for me. Black is not an option. At the end of the day, I had to grab a white one. Estimated delivery date is two weeks later.

topsniper
24-11-2015, 02:19 PM
Picked my car up yesterday so not completely familiar with it but if anyone has any questions ask and I'll endeavor to answer them. I decided on a white comfortline with the luxury and r-line packs. Overall happy with it but as i said earlier this good car could be great if only VAG had not neutered it for the Australian market.

I decided not to get the highline as after the two packs are added to a comfortline there is very little you are are missing out on that would justify the approx $5k difference. The big one obviously is the diesel but that is a negative for me anyway as i really think, based on test drives, it's torque is a little too high for a FWD and needs a AWD to go with it.

Congrats mate. I will be picking up my car two weeks later. Do you reckon white is a good choice of colour? I'm still fighting with colours even after I signed up the contact. Tungsten Silver looks amazing on the pictures, haven't seen one in flesh though. I saw a lot of white Passats in the dealer yesterday, it looks OK, but I still prefer Tungsten.

DarkStar69
24-11-2015, 04:07 PM
Congrats mate. I will be picking up my car two weeks later. Do you reckon white is a good choice of colour? I'm still fighting with colours even after I signed up the contact. Tungsten Silver looks amazing on the pictures, haven't seen one in flesh though. I saw a lot of white Passats in the dealer yesterday, it looks OK, but I still prefer Tungsten.

Thanks. More sure everyday that i made the right decision. White would probably not be my choice if we had a "real" range of colours. I say real as they are either black, white or a shade of gray. I think the Night Blue is so dark it is in the black range. Even the Harvard Blue, which looks great on the screen and i had been keen on, turned out to be, to me at least, a murky gray blue and not at all vibrant.

Another factor is if you are getting the R-Line? I found that the extra bling it adds to the exterior, a lot of which is black, seemed to get "lost" in the dark colours but stood out with the white. As for the luxury pack, its darkened glass windows and sunroof are also nicely contrasted by the white. As i said I'm not fond of white but thought it was the best option of the limited range that what was on offer.

Anyway try and see as many as you can of the colour range in bright sunlight and just go with the one that looks good enough that you would give it a second glance when driving past or a good long look if you saw it parked in the street. Trust your instincts, you know yourself best.

topsniper
25-11-2015, 08:59 AM
Thanks. More sure everyday that i made the right decision. White would probably not be my choice if we had a "real" range of colours. I say real as they are either black, white or a shade of gray. I think the Night Blue is so dark it is in the black range. Even the Harvard Blue, which looks great on the screen and i had been keen on, turned out to be, to me at least, a murky gray blue and not at all vibrant.

Another factor is if you are getting the R-Line? I found that the extra bling it adds to the exterior, a lot of which is black, seemed to get "lost" in the dark colours but stood out with the white. As for the luxury pack, its darkened glass windows and sunroof are also nicely contrasted by the white. As i said I'm not fond of white but thought it was the best option of the limited range that what was on offer.

Anyway try and see as many as you can of the colour range in bright sunlight and just go with the one that looks good enough that you would give it a second glance when driving past or a good long look if you saw it parked in the street. Trust your instincts, you know yourself best.

Yes, you are absolutely right about the colours. I'm now pretty sure that I have made a right decision. I'll just stick with white. Two weeks is too long. Can't wait.

00100100
26-11-2015, 02:28 PM
Hi all, few of you are picking up their new B8's already, show us some photos :)

I also agree with the white colour and R-Line package. Looks great as it is emphasizing what the R-Line trim is adding to the car.

ftaffy
07-12-2015, 06:40 AM
Been looking at White B8, the R-line with comfort pack is very tempting. Thanks for posting opinions/comments as some reviews are coming from the wrong angle i feel.

Albatraozz
10-12-2015, 07:49 PM
So I just ordered a new Passat Comfortline in white but the dealer hasn't given me any specific date for delivery. Does anybody have any idea how much of a backlog there is for the new Passats? How long it may take?

Orrelljet
11-12-2015, 11:46 PM
Just wondering how any new B8 owners are getting on with the manual seat height adjustment.

I'm not exactly a giant, at 5' 8", but my wife is on the wrong side of 5' so the electric height adjustment in our base 2013 Territory is bloody useful, as is the ability to tilt the driver's seat.

Does anyone share a car with a partner on the other end of the height scale? Is it a pain in the new Passat?

I love the look and quality feel of the new B8 but have found myself drawn to the current Tiguan (R-Line) simply because of the electric driver's seat.

DarkStar69
12-12-2015, 09:41 AM
Just wondering how any new B8 owners are getting on with the manual seat height adjustment.

I'm not exactly a giant, at 5' 8", but my wife is on the wrong side of 5' so the electric height adjustment in our base 2013 Territory is bloody useful, as is the ability to tilt the driver's seat.

Does anyone share a car with a partner on the other end of the height scale? Is it a pain in the new Passat?

I love the look and quality feel of the new B8 but have found myself drawn to the current Tiguan (R-Line) simply because of the electric driver's seat.

I have exactly the same situation. Yes its a pain but the wife only drives the Passat once or twice a week and we had the same situation on the previous car so I don't feel its a step backward. I would have loved the electric seats together with the driver profile function but I would/did not consider it a big enough of an issue to not buy the car.

Cossor
16-12-2015, 05:53 PM
Very disappointed with VAG current B8 Passat economy brochure printing.
All in all, about 10 pages as against 23 for B7 Passat.
I have the impression VAG consider Passat of minor importance, and need to
economize where possible. Perhaps publication a victim of diesel gate? :facepalm:

There s no detailed list of what is provided or different in the options packages
apart from general mentions in separate parts of the brochure.
Most important, while a general list of specifications are provided,
no technical specifications are provided. :duh:
For example. what is towing capacity, weight, turning circle, dimensions?
Last but not least, fuel consumption Urban and Extra urban. :?

However, at bottom of specifications page, we are advised for full specification to go to
2015 VW Jetta | Specifications & Price | Volkswagen Australia (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/jetta)
Jetta?? I tried Passat instead of Jetta, but no luck:goodluck:

cellrsx
17-12-2015, 10:16 AM
Very disappointed with VAG current B8 Passat economy brochure printing.
All in all, about 10 pages as against 23 for B7 Passat.
I have the impression VAG consider Passat of minor importance, and need to
economize where possible. Perhaps publication a victim of diesel gate? :facepalm:

There s no detailed list of what is provided or different in the options packages
apart from general mentions in separate parts of the brochure.
Most important, while a general list of specifications are provided,
no technical specifications are provided. :duh:
For example. what is towing capacity, weight, turning circle, dimensions?
Last but not least, fuel consumption Urban and Extra urban. :?

However, at bottom of specifications page, we are advised for full specification to go to
2015 VW Jetta | Specifications & Price | Volkswagen Australia (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/jetta)
Jetta?? I tried Passat instead of Jetta, but no luck:goodluck:

Try going to the VW home page (Volkswagen Australia Official Website | New Cars & SUVs (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/)), hover mouse over models, select Passat Wagon (or just Passat) and then there'll be a toolbar with Highlights > Models & Pricing > Gallery > Specifications...

Click Specifications and you should get a link to the PDF specs. Have pasted it below for convenience.

http://www.volkswagen.com.au/content/medialib/vwd4/au/common/specifications/my16/j8057-passat-my16-specsweb-1--pdf/_jcr_content/renditions/rendition.download_attachment.file/j8057-passat-my16-specs_web-1-.pdf

Cossor
17-12-2015, 09:20 PM
Try going to the VW home page (Volkswagen Australia Official Website | New Cars & SUVs (http://www.volkswagen.com.au/)), hover mouse over models, select Passat Wagon (or just Passat) and then there'll be a toolbar with Highlights > Models & Pricing > Gallery > Specifications...

Click Specifications and you should get a link to the PDF specs. Have pasted it below for convenience.

http://www.volkswagen.com.au/content/medialib/vwd4/au/common/specifications/my16/j8057-passat-my16-specsweb-1--pdf/_jcr_content/renditions/rendition.download_attachment.file/j8057-passat-my16-specs_web-1-.pdf

Thanks cellrsx, really helpful. All required information now clearly obtainable. Looks like TSI comfortline with luxury package to be next car. :cool:

gokartgti
19-12-2015, 07:51 AM
new adventure. out with the GTI (had a mk 5 and 6 over the years). Just ordered. MY16 Passat, R line fully loaded with TDI.

now if there's a retrofit for this (virtual dash).
https://youtu.be/LDmv6OuyvG4

20457


and check this.... nothing was mentioned by the dealer. looks like some goodies hidden in the menu's.

20456

3C4M Guy
26-12-2015, 03:49 PM
One of the main irritations of my B6 Passat is the relatively indirect steering. After several years of driving it, I still can't get used to winding on armfuls of lock to go round the simplest corner. Yes, I'm exaggerating ... but I would still prefer more direct steering.

I read with interest that the new B8 R-Line has "progressive steering with 2.1 turns lock-to-lock". Is there anyone who has test-driven or owns a B8 R-Line that can comment on the steering ratio? Does "progressive" mean variable weighting according to speed or variable ratio?

booba
27-12-2015, 08:27 AM
This happens to me in our golf 7r, when i want drive it, i have to depress that ****ty manual level so many times to lower the seat. im north of 6' and wife is just shy of 5'. doesn't happen in the passat with 12 way electric adjustment :)


I have exactly the same situation. Yes its a pain but the wife only drives the Passat once or twice a week and we had the same situation on the previous car so I don't feel its a step backward. I would have loved the electric seats together with the driver profile function but I would/did not consider it a big enough of an issue to not buy the car.

entice
30-12-2015, 04:41 AM
One of the main irritations of my B6 Passat is the relatively indirect steering. After several years of driving it, I still can't get used to winding on armfuls of lock to go round the simplest corner. Yes, I'm exaggerating ... but I would still prefer more direct steering.

I read with interest that the new B8 R-Line has "progressive steering with 2.1 turns lock-to-lock". Is there anyone who has test-driven or owns a B8 R-Line that can comment on the steering ratio? Does "progressive" mean variable weighting according to speed or variable ratio?

That's a tough one.
I can only answer it thus:

Compared to our outgoing 2012 TDI wagon, the B8 TDI RLine doesnt feel like a boat. Steering feels a lot more responsive, communicative, and faster. Handles a lot nicer, and the difference between how it drives and how my Golf R drives is a lot less, when compared to the B7.

I dont have any complaints about the steering.

If you're thinking of it, the best features of the R Line package are:
the seats. So much better. more support than the standards, but not as tight as those in teh Golf R (not R line but R)
paddles on steering wheel
Black roof liner

GTP044
30-12-2015, 08:12 PM
Sorry for the delayed reply regarding our new Highline sedan with both luxury and R line package. All I can say is that both my wife and I absolutely love it. Around town fuel consumption is averaging about 7 L/100 which is obviously more than the brochure says but is still a lot better than what our diesel Territory was averaging for the same kind of driving. It has plenty of power, is comfortable, the R line seats are brilliant (I used to have 2 FPV GTP Falcons and the seats in the R line are every bit as good as those) I haven't had a play with the different suspension settings but just on 'normal' mode, the car holds the road brilliantly and is firm but by no means uncomfortable. I've not had a car before with so many electronic gizmos. From the lane departure assist to adaptive cruise it's weird having a car that 'thinks' for itself.
Our other car is an Amarok and I have to say that both my wife and I reckon that the Amarok is a bit quieter inside than what the Passat is engine wise. The only thing that my wife says she has to get used to again is having a low car that she has to be really careful with when going in and out of driveways compared to the Rok and her old Territory.
Hope this is helpful, if anyone has any questions just ask away.

Cheers,

Greg.

Riker
31-12-2015, 04:14 PM
The steering on R-line Passats is a progressive variable ratio just as in Golf GTi, R etc. Turn in is quicker than B6-B7 Passat & lock to lock is certainly less ie variable ratio..


One of the main irritations of my B6 Passat is the relatively indirect steering. After several years of driving it, I still can't get used to winding on armfuls of lock to go round the simplest corner. Yes, I'm exaggerating ... but I would still prefer more direct steering.

I read with interest that the new B8 R-Line has "progressive steering with 2.1 turns lock-to-lock". Is there anyone who has test-driven or owns a B8 R-Line that can comment on the steering ratio? Does "progressive" mean variable weighting according to speed or variable ratio?

3C4M Guy
05-01-2016, 09:12 PM
The steering on R-line Passats is a progressive variable ratio just as in Golf GTi, R etc. Turn in is quicker than B6-B7 Passat & lock to lock is certainly less ie variable ratio..

I guess the critical difference is the steering of a B6 Passat seems to be a fraction under 3 turns lock-to-lock - say 2.9.
If a B8 R-Line is 2.1 turns, then it would be a significant improvement for someone who wants quick steering ... although a variable ratio would probably mean the steering would be no quicker for the first 1/4 turn or so away from centre.

Buzy_Robot
09-01-2016, 12:52 AM
Decisions, decisions!

Went to my local VW dealer yesterday and test drove both a petrol and diesel B8 Passat. Liked them both and I can certainly see why they're a step up over the B7. Everything good about the previous Passat is now demonstrably better. There are certainly a lot more doodads and gizmos to play with on the B8 Passat, so I’ll need to set aside some time getting to know them properly.

I actually went in thinking I'd go for a petrol variant, but I found the throttle response in the petrol too hypersensitive for my liking. Then again, I'm coming from a B7 125TDI sedan and have grown accustomed to the more laid back nature of power delivery and throttle response in the diesel. Besides, I like the diesel growl - perhaps I'm just a diesel junkie after all?!

The diesel emissions scandal has weighed on my mind, but having a DPF and now an AdBlue urea system are fine by me as it comes as close as possible to 'clean' diesel.

I’d read in various reviews that the ride can be quite brittle on the lower profile tyres, but coming from 18’ tyres on my current Passat, there didn’t seem to be any noticeable deterioration in ride quality.

Dealer offered me a generous trade-in allowance of $21,000 for my MY13 125TDI with sports pack and 37,500ks on it. Whack on $32,000 in changeover and I got myself a 140TDI sedan in white with the R-Line pack. Should look quite spiffy on the road! My dealer is throwing in window tinting, a full tank of fuel and a luggage compartment tray.

I take delivery in about 3 weeks - can't wait!

Buzy_Robot
21-01-2016, 05:51 PM
Just picked up my 140TDI Highline sedan with the R-Line package:

PROS: Sports seats are exceptionally comfortable; sports steering wheel is great to hold; progressive steering is a revelation compared to B7 Passat; decidedly crisp handling and assured chassis balance; R-Line body kit really gives the car street cred; good noise insulation; improved build quality over B7 Passat with no rattles evident; lots of new gadgets and gizmos to play with inside!

CONS: Comfortable, albeit busy ride on 19’ low profile tyres; excessive heat and noisy cooling fans when DPF in operation

Elmura
21-01-2016, 08:18 PM
After reading the CarAdvice review, it sounded like the drive would be annoying with a combo of turbo lag & DSG lag. Owning a petrol CC, I can understand the occasional DSG lag when it doesn't do what's requested or expected. So adding turbo lag apparently makes things worse...

What is your personal experience for owners about this (not opinions or brief test drive)

Buzy_Robot
21-01-2016, 10:42 PM
After reading the CarAdvice review, it sounded like the drive would be annoying with a combo of turbo lag & DSG lag. Owning a petrol CC, I can understand the occasional DSG lag when it doesn't do what's requested or expected. So adding turbo lag apparently makes things worse...

What is your personal experience for owners about this (not opinions or brief test drive)

Truth be told, the diesel / DSG combo is an acquired taste. The lag being referred to is there, but not as pronounced as he's suggesting. Having owned both a diesel B7 and now diesel B8 Passat, that lag is a distinct characteristic, but one gets used to it because when all that delicious torque kicks in, there's nothing comparable!

In contrast, the petrol variant is more sprightly and provides a seemingly immediate throttle response. Coupled with a wider power range, it offers a different driving experience to the diesel.

Both engines have their appeal, albeit in different ways. Make sense?

Buzy_Robot
22-01-2016, 07:22 PM
Two days old with 120 ks covered in purely urban driving and I've noticed the DPF running wildly for over half that distance. It's noiser than the DPF in the B7, seems located closer to the cockpit and gives off quite a lot of heat around the front doors when the car is parked and turned off. Maybe the DPF is running as designed, but I'd appreciate other B8 diesel owners sharing their observations.

Buzy_Robot
26-01-2016, 12:57 PM
In the absence of any warning lights and now that the DPF and cooling fans have settled down, all is good with my new Passat. Great, actually. In many ways the B8 Passat reminds of the second generation Mazda6 I had between 2008 - 2011. A real driver's car, albeit crying out for a more zesty engine.

It would be great to see the more powerful diesel and petrol engines released in New Zealand reach us, but the sales guy I bought it from made mention that bi-turbo engines - without an appropriate software tune - would be hampered by the Northern Territory heat.

Albatraozz
30-01-2016, 12:22 AM
We are loving our new Passat so far. But I do have a question in regards to the Lane Assistance feature. Many different VW Ads talk about activating a feature to keep the car within the middle of the lane. I know LA is on automatically but it only seems to keep the car within the lane only just, not in the middle of the lane like advertised. (like here (https://youtu.be/8teDSVkrZbU?t=20s))

After an exhausting search I should probably just assume such a thing doesn't exist but I thought i'd ask here just in case.

booba
31-01-2016, 11:32 AM
Lane Assist won't keep you in the middle of the lane, it is designed to keep you within the lane. the video does not portray this accurately.

00100100
31-01-2016, 08:25 PM
Is there a video showing what actually happens?

DarkStar69
31-01-2016, 11:50 PM
Lane Assist won't keep you in the middle of the lane, it is designed to keep you within the lane. the video does not portray this accurately.

That was my suspicion from local freeway driving and then over the Christmas break i did around 2000 KM with most of it in 4 4Hr trips on the M1 and country B highways and so i was able to safely experiment with this feature on long straight stretches with no oncoming traffic.

It seems that the LA sort of "ricochets" you between the lines. This makes the system not quite as safe as i would like. Also it seemed, to me at least, to not take over and correct till the steering until the car was actually on or over the lines. Might even let you get close enough to say an oncoming semi to let the "suction" wind effect pull you into it? On the other side the danger is that some country roads have very little or no shoulder on the left side of the line so might get a bit hairy if the wheels went over the lip/edge of the bitumen and into the loose dirt/gravel. Not sure how well the system would do in controlling it. Did not test this for obvious reasons.

Perhaps the more advanced camera/software or the multiple 360 deg camera setup's in overseas models might give better results by giving the system more/better data as an input to the LA system? i.e. an advanced version of the LA we got here?

Another surprise is that it takes surprisingly little pressure on the steering from the driver to unintentionally override the LA and keep going in the direction that takes it over the line and into danger. I am not absolutely certain but feel that the system tried "harder" to correct the steering when crossing over single solid or solid+broken center lines then for broken lines. Perhaps this is intentional as it might be "less" dangerous and it might assume the driver had forgotten to turn the blinker on when overtaking? I did not experiment with crossing double lines to see if that was the case with them also or if it had an even stronger affect.

P.S. I was overall pleased with the ride and handling. Comfortable enough for my liking even with the 19" and lowered sports suspension. Always felt safe in it especially when overtaking as the power and acceleration keep the dangers part of the maneuver to a minimum. The navigation maps leave a lot to be desired though as for vast areas of Victoria it has no speed limit data and that tends to really throw it off when calculation the fastest route and the destination times as it assumes no speed data = 50KMH. Not sure who provides the maps to VW, not Sensis as my handheld GPS uses that as was OK with the region, but they obviously have ,major quality issues so will not be retiring the handheld just yet.

Buzy_Robot
01-02-2016, 01:52 AM
The navigation maps leave a lot to be desired though as for vast areas of Victoria it has no speed limit data and that tends to really throw it off when calculation the fastest route and the destination times as it assumes no speed data = 50KMH. Not sure who provides the maps to VW, not Sensis as my handheld GPS uses that as was OK with the region, but they obviously have ,major quality issues so will not be retiring the handheld just yet.

Indeed! I would suggest that the infotainment system needs some more work put into it when it comes to music as well. I use iTunes to rip music and load onto my iPhone 6S Plus 128GB using iOS 9.2.1, but album art is a hit and miss affair:

1) No problems displaying album cover art using Apple CarPlay;

2) Playing music through Bluetooth results in album art being replaced by what the system thinks is correct. Why it ignores the album art on the iPhone and seems to draw on an external database is beyond me;

3) No album art whatsoever will appear while playing music on an SD card unless it's embedded in each song.

Go figure!

Otherwise, all is great with the new Passat!

Albatraozz
02-02-2016, 02:04 PM
Okay thanks for the reply guys. That's a bit annoying as when I was purchasing the car I thought it would be able to keep the car in the middle of lane. Also I'm a bit disappointed VW didn't include cameras that would give a 360 degree view like in overseas models.

Also I wonder if we will get a software update to include Australian signage for speed limits? I doubt it but it would be a nice gesture on VW's part.

2VWs
05-02-2016, 05:44 PM
Australian standards are not international standards for speed limits signage. Software would have to be written to accommodate our speed signs and then verified which is a costly exercise.

DarkStar69
14-02-2016, 09:58 AM
Australian standards are not international standards for speed limits signage. Software would have to be written to accommodate our speed signs and then verified which is a costly exercise.

Reading the new Audi A4 brochure, page 44, "Tour assistance package (includes congestion assistant, predictive efficiency assistant, camera-based recognition of traffic signs, high-beam assist, Audi active lane assist) – provides assistance on motorways and country roads". So it would seem that this "costly exercise" has already been done but VAG are only allowing the Audi branch of the family to use it.

One more obvious example of VAG ensuring that the VW offering in the B8 Passat does not appear to be as advanced as the Audi A4 to ensure buyers have no alternative if they want the higher end technology. Perhaps the B8 might get this in a refresh later but for early adopters like me...

Buzy_Robot
16-02-2016, 12:49 AM
Thanks to my raving about the B8 Passat, work decided to buy one for the fleet. They went for the Comfortline with R-Line pack.

Strikingly similar to my Highline with the R-LIne pack, the most obvious omissions at first glance being no driving profile selection, no chrome highlights to the mirror adjustment and power window switches and no colour multi-function display with animations.

I took it for a spin and the petrol engine is sweet as; however, I did find the propensity for the car to jerk forward from standstill rather disconcerting. Applying the same pressure to the accelerator pedal in the diesel makes for a smooth and seamless surge of power.

Is this a characteristic of the dry clutch 7spd DSG as opposed to the wet clutch 6spd DSG? Not sure if I like it, but otherwise a mighty fine mid-sizer.

Lucas_R
16-02-2016, 06:45 AM
The best feature about the 7 speed DSG is that is has the tendency to self destruct multiple times during the life of the vehicle.

The 6 speed used in the diesel is a far better gearbox.

Jondalar
17-02-2016, 01:54 PM
Hi,

I've test driven two 140 TDI Highline Passats now and have not been very impressed either time. I really loved the look of these spec wise but the driving experience was a let down. The context: We own a 2014 110 TDI Golf Highline and love it (the wife's car). I'm looking for something to replace my 2014 Pajero Exceed which we won't need once we sell our caravan.

So far I've tried the two 140 TDI highline Passat (one sedan one wagon with R line) both had around 1500km plus on them, both felt very lacking in torque compared to the Golf. On one the driving profile was stuck in Normal (not a good look for a demo car) and the other did feel better when in sport mode but you shouldn't need to drive in sport... So is this lack of torque a feature of them managing to get better economy than the 110 TDI Golf gets?

I've also tested a 132 Passat sedan, Golf GTI Performance and Golf Alltrack. My wife and I both feel the Passat doesn't handle very well compared to the Golf 110 TDI, how do other feel about the Passat handling?

Cheers,
Karl

Buzy_Robot
17-02-2016, 03:38 PM
Hi,

I've test driven two 140 TDI Highline Passats now and have not been very impressed either time. I really loved the look of these spec wise but the driving experience was a let down. The context: We own a 2014 110 TDI Golf Highline and love it (the wife's car). I'm looking for something to replace my 2014 Pajero Exceed which we won't need once we sell our caravan.

So far I've tried the two 140 TDI highline Passat (one sedan one wagon with R line) both had around 1500km plus on them, both felt very lacking in torque compared to the Golf. On one the driving profile was stuck in Normal (not a good look for a demo car) and the other did feel better when in sport mode but you shouldn't need to drive in sport... So is this lack of torque a feature of them managing to get better economy than the 110 TDI Golf gets?

I've also tested a 132 Passat sedan, Golf GTI Performance and Golf Alltrack. My wife and I both feel the Passat doesn't handle very well compared to the Golf 110 TDI, how do other feel about the Passat handling?

Cheers,
Karl

As a former B7 Passat owner and current B8 owner, I am stoked with the handling offered with the R-Line pack in both diesel and petrol variants. Steering is sharp, responsive and communicative. The low profile tyres do result in a busy ride on less than perfect roads, but the grip is sensational. Handling is assured and best in class. It's a ripper of a car on the freeway. Hugs the road and flys round corners and twisty bends. Never ever do I get a sense of losing grip regardless of dry or wet weather at 100 - 110 km/h. Of course, the Passat is a bigger car than the Golf, so even they are now both based on the MQB platform, it will feel different in the handling stakes compared to a smaller car like the Golf.

For me, the torque in the diesel is sensational, but before you get that glorious surge, it can seem rather dozy compared to the petrol that wants to spring off the line, so to speak.

Karl, with these sorts of reservations, why don't you wait and compare the Passat to the new Skoda Superb which will be released in the next month or so?

Jondalar
17-02-2016, 05:23 PM
Karl, with these sorts of reservations, why don't you wait and compare the Passat to the new Skoda Superb which will be released in the next month or so?

Thanks for the reply. I was comparing the off idle acceleration with the Golf 110 TDI not the petrol variants. I have been looking at the Skoda specs however I've read that Skoda have pretty poor resale comparatively? That kind of put me off, otherwise I was seriously thinking about an Octavia RS 135 TDI fully loaded. I don't really need a car bigger than the Golf wagon, just needs to be comfortable. So far the Passat is the most comfortable to sit in, but I've not driven one for more than 10 min.

Cheers,
Karl

entice
18-02-2016, 08:23 PM
Thanks for the reply. I was comparing the off idle acceleration with the Golf 110 TDI not the petrol variants. I have been looking at the Skoda specs however I've read that Skoda have pretty poor resale comparatively? That kind of put me off, otherwise I was seriously thinking about an Octavia RS 135 TDI fully loaded. I don't really need a car bigger than the Golf wagon, just needs to be comfortable. So far the Passat is the most comfortable to sit in, but I've not driven one for more than 10 min.

Cheers,
Karl
Due to the KM's I had to do in January, I drove the family Highline wagon with R pack and Luxury pack, as opposed to my Mk7 Golf R.

Driven on its own, I have to say that the 200+kms I was doing every day were so effortlessly and easily as well as comfortably done in the passat. I had no issues with comfort or handling characteristics. At first the off-line acceleration of the passat was a little disappointing, as it appears to be in the Golf R. If you've driven a Polo TSI or even a golf TSI in comparison you will understand what I mean. However, if you "push" these vehicles past the initial soft R foot press, you'll note you dont get much more from them...well, not compared to teh 140TDI or the golf R. I think this is a simple throttle mapping and is easily overcome with some software tweaks if you choose to do so. The car isnt much faster, but feels faster, as less apparent throttle input is required.
But I digress.
After a few drives I found myself enjoying the relaxed nature of the Passat. Mind you it replaced a same spec B7 (albeit not with a R Line pack). The handling I think for a car of its size, weight, and carrying capacity is fantastic. I agree that the engine feels different (even from teh 125TDI we had) but now with 6kKms on the clock its smoothening out. The Adblue is a new thing, and I find the B8 engine rattier compared to teh B7, but it definitely has more pull when pushed. But not when driven sedately... definitely a throttle mapping thing in my eyes.

as a comparison I also drove a sedan in same spec. Funnily, I felt the wagon drove better. by far. Better visibility, and more airyness. I also have extensively driven a petrol in teh wagon. No comparison whatsoever. It didnt have the R pack, but by gosh it had initial takeoff, but not much more when pushed hard.

So after 2 weeks of driving the Passat (14oTDI/R/Lux), I hopped back into my R. Umm, I take the R every day, but the Passat Highline with Lux and R packs (in wagon form) is definitely a nice drive in my eyes, and not too disappointing alternative transport! I dont mind if I have to drive it (other than it being a larger vehicle... have you seen the rear legroom in that thing???)

Jondalar
19-02-2016, 03:53 PM
Thanks for the reply entice. An interesting perspective. I drive for at least 2 hours a day, half is highway but that is often stop start also. I mainly want to be comfortable, but I also want to be able to have fun, that was the main thing that impressed me with the GTI Performance I test drove, in comfort setting it was more comfortable than my wife's 110TDI Golf. The space of a Passat wagon would be handy though, and I do love the interior of them.

Buzy_Robot
20-02-2016, 05:27 PM
The best feature about the 7 speed DSG is that is has the tendency to self destruct multiple times during the life of the vehicle.

The 6 speed used in the diesel is a far better gearbox.

I don't know about the 7spd DSG self-destructing these days! Surely the DSG fiasco of a few years ago is well and truly a thing of the past?! After 5 years I can certainly attest to the 6spd DSG being a robust unit though. For me, it's the spontaneity of the petrol B8 that took me by surprise compared to the more sedate characteristics of the diesel. Whether that's due to it being lighter and/or the engine tune and/or the dsg box itself, I don't know, but I'm actually enjoying the verve of the petrol B8 now. I don't have to give the accelerator pedal in the petrol the same sort of prod with my foot as I do with the diesel so I feel more in control of it than a few days ago. Maybe my next Passat will be petrol after all?! Time will tell ...

Lucas_R
20-02-2016, 09:05 PM
^ they are still having issues with the 7 speed. Same old problems with the clutches wearing out prematurely and mechatronics issues.

Jondalar
22-02-2016, 10:24 AM
^ they are still having issues with the 7 speed. Same old problems with the clutches wearing out prematurely and mechatronics issues.

Yeah our daughter has a 2010 Golf VI 90TSI bought 2nd hand with only 40k on it, it needs a new clutch pack and despite the servicing dealer saying VW Aust should cover at least part of the cost they refused to. Maybe not the same as a B8 Passat but it still makes me wary of the 7 speed.

Cheers,
Karl

Cossor
23-02-2016, 04:29 PM
Yeah our daughter has a 2010 Golf VI 90TSI bought 2nd hand with only 40k on it, it needs a new clutch pack and despite the servicing dealer saying VW Aust should cover at least part of the cost they refused to. Maybe not the same as a B8 Passat but it still makes me wary of the 7 speed.

Cheers,
Karl


Please note this is for the troublesome MK 6, not the current MK 7. Just had a look at MK 7 Golf, and only two or three replacements carried out on the only thread I could find.

MattPS
23-02-2016, 04:43 PM
Perhaps wait a fortnight and look at the Skoda Superb when released

cellrsx
25-02-2016, 04:53 PM
MY17 Passat 206TSi AWD is now in the Road Vehicle Certification system.

Interesting...

Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD1) (http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/perl/35384_1166596_RVD_11Feb2016083113.cmd)

tigger73
25-02-2016, 05:47 PM
I think the VW guys got their noses out of joint when they found out that Skoda was bringing out the 206kW AWD Superb ;)

kleung
25-02-2016, 06:25 PM
I think the VW guys got their noses out of joint when they found out that Skoda was bringing out the 206kW AWD Superb ;)

Not an unreasonable speculation - the R36 sold very well here, so VW would almost certainly lose sales to Skoda if they didn't bring the 206TSI here, since they currently don't have a direct replacement for R36/V6 Highline buyers.

I guess the next logical question would be - will it be sold as a Highline or with an R badge?

tigger73
25-02-2016, 07:13 PM
Yes agree but the Superb isn't a direct competitor as it is truly a large car. Have you seen how cavernous that thing is?

I'm not sure it would have an R designation as it would be an R20. It's not an R-line either as its not just a trim kit.

Maybe it'll just come out with a 4-motion badge...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Buzy_Robot
25-02-2016, 11:37 PM
Given the tepid response to the B8 Passat in Australia so far, a 206TSi AWD would make for an excellent strategy.

Any ideas on when we can expect MY17 Passat variants? From memory, I'm thinking July 2016 onwards, but I could be wrong.

prn31
26-02-2016, 10:21 AM
Yes agree but the Superb isn't a direct competitor as it is truly a large car. Have you seen how cavernous that thing is?

I'm not sure it would have an R designation as it would be an R20. It's not an R-line either as its not just a trim kit.

Maybe it'll just come out with a 4-motion badge...
It wouldn’t be an R20. They don’t have Golf R20s, they just call them Golf R.

I think it will just be called the TSI 206 R-Line, like they called it over the ditch in NZ.

Here’s a thought. The Bentley Bentagya has just been released with a 6.0 W12 that is said to be 90% new and 30kg lighter with 447kW. Could the once rumoured 3.0 VR6 turbo be spun off this? Say 240-250kW and 4Motion? Now that would be a real Passat R! :cool:

OilBurna
26-02-2016, 10:22 AM
Anyone got a quote or haggled extended warranty on these for 3 years?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OilBurna
26-02-2016, 10:22 AM
All track gets a good review on car advice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jondalar
26-02-2016, 10:57 AM
Anyone test driven the B8 Alltrack yet? One dealer I've dealt with said they'll have one by end of next week, another said no idea when.
Cheers,
Karl

Riker
26-02-2016, 12:48 PM
About bloody time..... Been considering what the next car would be if VAG didn't stump up & offer the 206KW 4-mot Passat. Merc C, Lexus 200T, BMW 3, Audi A4, Skoda Superb 206KW etc etc etc..... Now this is in the system I have a truly comparatively similar size, power & driveline match to my V6 Highline B7 to seriously consider.


MY17 Passat 206TSi AWD is now in the Road Vehicle Certification system.

Interesting...

Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD1) (http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/perl/35384_1166596_RVD_11Feb2016083113.cmd)

OilBurna
26-02-2016, 01:16 PM
When is the Superb out?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tigger73
26-02-2016, 07:02 PM
Superb will be out mid-March.

206kW AWD Passat is looking like it will find it's way over here for MY17 due in September.

kleung
28-02-2016, 04:50 PM
Yes agree but the Superb isn't a direct competitor as it is truly a large car. Have you seen how cavernous that thing is?

The 'current' Superb is actually smaller than the B7 Passat in every dimension (exterior). I can't find published interior dimensions for the Passats so I can't compare interior size:

2015 Superb Ambition 118TSI (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4833mm
Width: 1817mm

2015 Passat 118TSI B7 (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4874mm (+41mm)
Width: 1820mm (+3mm)

The B8 Passat has been made significantly shorter, and the conversely, thew Superb has grown slightly longer, which means that the new Superb is significantly bigger than the B8 Passat.

2016 New Superb Hatchback
Length: 4861mm (+94mm)
Width: 1864mm (+32mm)

2016 New Superb Wagon
Length: 4856mm (+89mm)
Width: 1864mm (+32mm)

2015 Passat 132TSI B8 (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4767mm
Width: 1832mm

So you might be correct for the new models, but I think a case could be made that they're still direct competitors given that they are still in similar price ranges, share most of their running gear and have very similar equipment levels.

Cossor
28-02-2016, 05:39 PM
Wonder if Superb is using the new platform, already stretched for new Passat!
(New Passat uses stretched version of current Golf platform)
One difference from Mk 7 for MK 8 is no specification given for towing weight!
That is, forget adding a caravan or trailer!!
No tow bar in acc catalog

booba
28-02-2016, 08:54 PM
Anyone test driven the B8 Alltrack yet? One dealer I've dealt with said they'll have one by end of next week, another said no idea when.
Cheers,
Karl

i took a ride in one on the 19th as a courtesy ride from stealer to shops, not bad.

kleung
28-02-2016, 11:06 PM
Wonder if Superb is using the new platform, already stretched for new Passat!
(New Passat uses stretched version of current Golf platform)

Yes, it is using the MQB platform (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_MQB_platform).

Jondalar
29-02-2016, 04:28 PM
i took a ride in one on the 19th as a courtesy ride from stealer to shops, not bad.

Ahh ok, didn't think there were any Alltracks on the road here that early. Hopefully will get a test drive this week.
Cheers,
Karl

entice
05-03-2016, 04:58 PM
Wonder if Superb is using the new platform, already stretched for new Passat!
(New Passat uses stretched version of current Golf platform)
One difference from Mk 7 for MK 8 is no specification given for towing weight!
That is, forget adding a caravan or trailer!!
No tow bar in acc catalog
Tow bar is available,

I have on on outr B8 Wagon, and yes, it is a VW one (Best Bars australia).

annoying thing is that to remove teh ball the usual spanner etc wont wornk, u will need a 33mm socket.. thin walled also...

Riker
11-03-2016, 11:05 AM
kleung mate, where ever you got the specs for the B7 Passat you need to contact them & tell them they are wrong.

The length of B8 in both sedan & wagon is also less than those of the B7 equivalents.

The official dimensions of the B7 Passat:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/28-passat.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/28-passat.1.jpg.html)

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm220/JLPicard1/26-passat.1.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/JLPicard1/media/26-passat.1.jpg.html)


The 'current' Superb is actually smaller than the B7 Passat in every dimension (exterior). I can't find published interior dimensions for the Passats so I can't compare interior size:

2015 Superb Ambition 118TSI (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4833mm
Width: 1817mm

2015 Passat 118TSI B7 (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4874mm (+41mm)
Width: 1820mm (+3mm)

The B8 Passat has been made significantly shorter, and the conversely, thew Superb has grown slightly longer, which means that the new Superb is significantly bigger than the B8 Passat.

2016 New Superb Hatchback
Length: 4861mm (+94mm)
Width: 1864mm (+32mm)

2016 New Superb Wagon
Length: 4856mm (+89mm)
Width: 1864mm (+32mm)

2015 Passat 132TSI B8 (Sedan and wagon)
Length: 4767mm
Width: 1832mm

So you might be correct for the new models, but I think a case could be made that they're still direct competitors given that they are still in similar price ranges, share most of their running gear and have very similar equipment levels.

OilBurna
15-03-2016, 04:24 PM
Just got an email from VW free 3 years scheduled servicing and 5 year warranty if you finance


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OilBurna
16-03-2016, 11:45 AM
interesting...

2016 Skoda Superb pricing and specifications (http://www.caradvice.com.au/425468/2016-skoda-superb-pricing-and-specifications/)

OilBurna
16-03-2016, 04:26 PM
Old and new together excuse dirty car

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/4974e6cd1230c434e2799366bdf27c67-1.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OilBurna
16-03-2016, 04:30 PM
Oops ignore that crappy pic these should be better

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/ebaea0750d7e2ac57102b5efff19a18c-1.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/228c2ffff970df5580972f8bb863e894-1.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Riker
17-03-2016, 09:20 AM
VWAus will need to pull the proverbial out & offer more available spec to the Passat range going on what the new Superb will have available to it. Electric/memory seats being one option they need to add. The 206kw 4x4 Superb looks like awesome value.

OilBurna
17-03-2016, 10:22 AM
Yes craps on the Passat esp the 4x4 Tsi and base 162tsi


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steve28
17-03-2016, 11:43 PM
Looks like the Superb is now part of the equation, if not for the fact they have 4wd in addition to other features included/available.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tribelife
18-03-2016, 02:46 PM
Hi all, placed an order today for a Highline wagon with luxury and r-line pack. Should be ready for pickup in 2 weeks.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

JamieHC
20-03-2016, 08:29 AM
Hi all,

Recently picked up our Passat with Luxury and R-Line pack. I wanted a Golf R, but it was just too small for our young family.

Great car, but now for some more power! Looking at a chip to start with, so I'd appreciate some feedback on what is best to get similar power to a GTI?

Cheers,

Jamie

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/6cb64972b33d9e4bf33b7daa1ffde5b4-1.jpghttp://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/e96551c94df4af2f4a34176678e5d231-1.jpg

gamcem
22-03-2016, 08:46 AM
I was talking to a dealer yesterday as I've shown interest in a top spec wagon.. I mentioned yesterday that I'm more interested in the Superb now as there's the AWD, 206 available. He said that he's heard of a R line Wolfsburg edition coming our way.. I can't find anything on this anywhere else. I hope there's something on its way because I prefer the look of the Passat.

Riker
23-03-2016, 12:51 AM
Here you go, this will make you happy... Take note of the addition of the 206tsi to the available Passat models here. I expect they will be a regular model ie: not a limited edition like the Golf R Wolfsburgs.

Sedan: Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD1) (http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/perl/35384_1166595_RVD_11Feb2016083102.cmd)
Wagon: Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD1) (http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/perl/35384_1166596_RVD_11Feb2016083113.cmd)


I was talking to a dealer yesterday as I've shown interest in a top spec wagon.. I mentioned yesterday that I'm more interested in the Superb now as there's the AWD, 206 available. He said that he's heard of a R line Wolfsburg edition coming our way.. I can't find anything on this anywhere else. I hope there's something on its way because I prefer the look of the Passat.

Eaglehawk
24-03-2016, 01:03 PM
Wasn't that like posted 3 pages ago and nobody really noticed? :)

tigger73
24-03-2016, 09:15 PM
I can just imagine the VW dealers asking VWA what the hell is going on. Skoda gets the 162TSI as a "base" model and it's bigger, better spec'd, better looking and faster than the base Passat... and only $3k more.

No wonder they're bringing the 206TSI AWD out in MY17. Otherwise the Passat does look a bit underpowered.

gamcem
24-03-2016, 09:24 PM
Agreed tigger! Surely there must be questions being asked. Especially with recalls going on. I know that it's across the VW group but I think VW have been hit hardest. And now they're not matching their 'lower' tier group.

Riker
25-03-2016, 09:34 PM
I keep harping on about it but with the 206tsi finally coming they will need to spec it better than the highline 132tsi & 140tdi & at least as well as the Superb 206tsi. I saw a Superb 206tsi today & walked away very impressed with it in comparison to a Passat. Very obviously designed & packaged to appear at the very least as good as the Passat B8.

tigger73
25-03-2016, 10:11 PM
Yeah it's kind of an oxymoron to "upgrade" from a VW to a Skoda but that's how it looks at the moment.

I think the Passat CC or C Coupe is still a little while away... so all they can do is put the 206TSI into the Passat.

Though what would be nice is to see the new 176kW/500Nm bi-turbo diesel added to the line-up.

Buzy_Robot
04-05-2016, 09:19 PM
Finally the B8 Passat has gained some traction in the medium cars under $60K segment in Australia:

New car sales figures April 2016 (http://www.caradvice.com.au/440357/new-car-sales-figures-april-2016/)

1) Toyota Camry (1,551)
2) Volkswagen Passat (330)
3) Mazda6 (314)

Only took 6 months since release to finally make the Top 3 ... better late than never!

snerlo
05-05-2016, 08:31 AM
I am currently over in Ireland and the UK at the moment and I have seen quite a few new B8 passats and I have also seen some new Skoda Superbs. If I am honest, the Passat is in trouble. The superb has more road presence about it. The Passat just looks a little plain jane and gets lost in the crowd, even against the B7. The skoda with its creases just looks quite smart and "newer", plus the added benefit of the more powerful motor should you choose it. Not sure if they have released the new superbs in oz yet (I haven't seen one) but believe me, if they haven't you'll know what I mean when you see one. As much as it guts me to say, I would take the skoda superb over the new B8 Passat any day of the week, and I would be ticking that 206TSI box as the model of choice. Sorry to all those B8 lovers.

booba
05-05-2016, 05:46 PM
Finally the B8 Passat has gained some traction in the medium cars under $60K segment in Australia:

New car sales figures April 2016 (http://www.caradvice.com.au/440357/new-car-sales-figures-april-2016/)

1) Toyota Camry (1,551)
2) Volkswagen Passat (330)
3) Mazda6 (314)

Only took 6 months since release to finally make the Top 3 ... better late than never!

passat can't compete with camry.. too many cheap asians... sauce: am asian and know how cheap they are.

Buzy_Robot
16-05-2016, 12:28 PM
2016 Skoda Superb, VW Passat and Subaru Liberty review- Car News | CarsGuide (http://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/2016-sokda-superb-vw-passat-and-subaru-liberty-review-41349)

Buzy_Robot
11-06-2016, 12:47 AM
The 206TSI Passat will arrive in Australia this September .... YES!!!!! :banana:

Volkswagen Australia to replace Passat R36 (http://www.motormag.com.au/news/1606/volkswagen-australia-to-replace-passat-r36/)

Volkswagen Passat R36 successor confirmed for Australia (http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/news/1606/volkswagen-passat-r36-successor-confirmed-for-australia/)

OilBurna
11-06-2016, 10:31 AM
Thanks buzy hopefully it will be specced with decent gear ibc memory seats and mirrors etc

Elmura
12-06-2016, 11:01 AM
Looking forward to it. I had an R36 & enjoyed it, as did my wife. Hope it rekindles the same driving enjoyment. And, with the large Golf R repertoire of performance upgrades available - it means we can have our family car & sports car in one - all for not much cash!

tigger73
12-06-2016, 11:54 AM
Yes the good thing about the 206TSI is that it will be a lot more tuneable than the R36.

Rocket36
12-09-2016, 05:59 PM
I found this to be a good video review! And it's the 206 TSI


https://youtu.be/S8xSlqpTKWA

Eaglehawk
13-09-2016, 12:09 PM
Strange, during the video he says the engine has 162kW of power...not sure if they got that wrong or something?

chopper
14-09-2016, 10:45 PM
Strange, during the video he says the engine has 162kW of power...not sure if they got that wrong or something?

In SA, I believe they have (had) the 2.0 GTI engine as their top spec. model, with front wheel drive... like Skoda have in their base Superb here. This is the drivetrain VW should have had in the Comfortline Passat, not a 1.8L.

Rocket36
19-09-2016, 11:22 AM
In SA, I believe they have (had) the 2.0 GTI engine as their top spec. model, with front wheel drive... like Skoda have in their base Superb here. This is the drivetrain VW should have had in the Comfortline Passat, not a 1.8L.

Correct! And agreed!

But now in the typical Aussie sucker market will have to pay more for the 2.0 engine!

chopper
19-09-2016, 10:27 PM
Correct! And agreed!

But now in the typical Aussie sucker market will have to pay more for the 2.0 engine!

Like me! We're ordering a 206TSI Wagon. $$$

It amazes me the Superb gets the 162kW engine, while the Passat gets the 132kW unit!

lukebthomas
07-12-2016, 04:17 PM
Hey guys, my wife just bought a brand new MY2017 Passat Alltrack Wagon. Its got the 2 Litre Turbo Diesel in it. Do you guys know if this is likely to be affectedby the VW dieselgate recall in Australia?http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/12/66484614081b47490058843e77bc0494-1.jpg

Eaglehawk
08-12-2016, 06:53 AM
No....

lukebthomas
08-12-2016, 12:33 PM
No....

Thanks mate.

Buzy_Robot
22-01-2017, 11:50 PM
Review - 2017 Volkswagen Passat - Review | CarShowroom.com.au (http://www.carshowroom.com.au/reviews/2017-volkswagen-passat-review/)

FastGolfR
26-01-2017, 02:45 PM
27749Just purchased a MY2017 Passat 206 R. What a superbly equipped car. No head up display but excellent value for money. 203kW awd Golf R brakes and adjustable suspension with Sport mode which changes the steering, suspension, gearbox shift points, air conditioning use etc. Lovely car to drive and it has the VW Driver Assist package. Accelerates well, goes around corners well and stops very well.

Mr_206
30-01-2017, 10:59 AM
Congrats!! Looks lovely!

Buzy_Robot
01-02-2017, 06:26 PM
Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line sedan 2017 review | road test | CarsGuide (http://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/volkswagen-passat-206tsi-r-line-sedan-51527)

FastGolfR
20-03-2017, 01:05 PM
A photos.
28587
28589
2859028591
28592
3000km driven. Very economical - finally got out of Sport mode and found Economy mode. As low as 6.1l/100km.
Golf R performance probably achievable with a stage 1 tune. Only slightly slower in standard configuration. It gets quicker as it loosens up. An extremely comfortable car to drive. It is quite, rides well and handles well. Superb brakes and equipment level. The poor man's Audi RS6. (Half the engine). A very good buy.

Mr_206
22-03-2017, 01:31 PM
Caradvice Review 2017 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line review | CarAdvice (http://www.caradvice.com.au/515726/2017-volkswagen-passat-206tsi-r-line-review-2/)

cgorac
23-03-2017, 11:00 AM
I'm looking at buying the Comfortline with the R-Line Pack or the Diesel with the R-Line Pack which is the better choice and colour wise I'm leaning towards the Reflex Sliver Colour as i'm not sure on the Pure White and Deep Black.

rave75
20-04-2017, 10:57 AM
I'm looking at buying the Comfortline with the R-Line Pack or the Diesel with the R-Line Pack which is the better choice and colour wise I'm leaning towards the Reflex Sliver Colour as i'm not sure on the Pure White and Deep Black.

Personally, I think R line pack looks best on pure white.

Blackpaladin67
12-01-2018, 07:12 PM
Personally, I think R line pack looks best on pure white.Buy an Arteon they are sooo much more lubly....

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

zzc2010
12-01-2018, 07:29 PM
Buy an Arteon they are sooo much more lubly....

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Lubly is endless. Buy a Bentley. XD


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rocket36
17-01-2018, 10:12 AM
Personally, I think R line pack looks best on pure white.

I used to think that too... Then I saw it in person on silver! :D LURV!

el1x
21-01-2018, 11:49 PM
Personally, I think R line pack looks best on pure white.

I agree.

I haven't posted a pic of the beauty, picked up in May'17 for the wife to use as her daily.
She loves it, and rightly so, it's hard to fault.


32567

Rocket36
22-01-2018, 10:18 PM
I agree.

I haven't posted a pic of the beauty, picked up in May'17 for the wife to use as her daily.
She loves it, and rightly so, it's hard to fault.


VERY NICE!!! I do like the white. Love that I ended up with silver for the wife's daily. I only wish the R-Line pack for the diesel had the same wheels.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3526-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/ytafhom4b/) http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3525-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/i5ixf647f/) http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3527-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/z61tnuoyj/)

Gbranca1
23-01-2018, 04:49 AM
VERY NICE!!! I do like the white. Love that I ended up with silver for the wife's daily. I only wish the R-Line pack for the diesel had the same wheels.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3526-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/ytafhom4b/) http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3525-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/i5ixf647f/) http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/IMG_3527-1.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/z61tnuoyj/)

I think that may be something to do with the my18 models....
I'll be picking up a my16 140tdi rline in a couple of weeks and it definitely has the same rline rims as the 206r
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/01/7f39bd8039a1bee2ff0098a1b5456ab1-1.jpg


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Passerati
24-01-2018, 11:00 PM
I personally prefer the design of the Monterrey’s over the others...

mysteryman1961
30-01-2018, 09:12 AM
1963119630


Base model, simply put, looks ugly. Who signed off on the base model wheels??? R-Line wagon looks quite agressive compared to outgoing models

Yes.....who did sign off on them,they do look stunning when they are clean,but they are hard to clean.

5paul0
31-01-2018, 01:01 AM
When I had the opti cote put on the paint they did the wheels also. I only have to spray the wheels with a tight stream of water and they come clean. Then just a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth and they are really clean

Rocket36
31-01-2018, 07:20 AM
When I had the opti cote put on the paint they did the wheels also. I only have to spray the wheels with a tight stream of water and they come clean. Then just a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth and they are really clean

I was going to suggest Ceramic Pro nano paint protection, applied by a detailer that knows what they're doing. I plan to have my new car, rims and interior done. :)

Jubas
02-07-2018, 09:57 AM
Hi all,

New member to the forum, and new VW owner for the first time too. I picked up a MY18 Comfortline with R-Line option pack about three weeks ago for a great price. I'd been cross-shopping the Skoda Superb and Subaru Outback, but was a) very impressed with the Passat (most so, in fact), and b) got the best price (relatively) for the VW. I had expected to walk away with the Superb, but it felt like a much, much bigger car to drive, and while there was more legroom out back, the actual width across the rear seats (armrest-armrest) was worse than the Passat, even though the outside dimensions of the Superb were bigger. Baby #1 is on the way, and I'm anticipating a few trips with the 'grandparents' in the back too. I took it to Frank at Definitive for paint protection as well as windows/wheels and it’s looking mint

We took the car out for its first proper drive over the weekend, down the south coast from Sydney via the RNP, staying the night in Kangaroo valley, and back home via the southern highlands. I chose the route so that I got to drive up and down the southern highlands a few times - up to Robertson via macquarie pass, back down via Jamberoo, up mount cambewara, back down to the kangaroo valley, and then up to Moss Vale via Fitzroy falls. A great route for driving fun.

Coming from a rather dated, much smaller 2002 323 SP20, these are my initial thoughts:

Pros:


A beautifully handling car. I suspect this comes down to the altered suspension from the R-Line pack a bit, but there was no hint of understeer, the car was responsive with quick inputs to steering controls yielding rapid direction changes.
Very little road noise coming through with it being very easy to hold a conversation across rough, patchy country roads
Incredible fuel economy (well, at least compared to the 323 I think). I've not done the calculations, but we got 450kms from half a fuel tank. A combination of city and country driving.. i'd say probably 25% city, 75% country by time. Most of that time was spent in Eco mode, but all the climbs in the southern highlands were in Sports/Manual mode with some quite spirited driving.
Interior finish is fantastic - love the R-line seats, everything feels a notch up on the Superb/Outback
Adaptive Cruise Control - where have you been all my life? Sitting on the freeway was ridiculously easy. The 323 had no cruise control at all and needed to sit on about 3-3.5k revs to hold 110 with the accelerator depressed the whole way. It made Sydney-Melbourne trips.. interesting. Now, I simply set the ACC and just cruise
Adaptive lane controls - the first time it steered me back into my lane I had a mild heart attack, but this is just fantastic technology. We tested it on the freeway (with no other cars around) and it's about as autonomous as we would like
Visibility from the car is fantastic. I had sat in a Mazda 6 wagon, but the C pillars were huge and rear visibility was average. The passat's pillars are all very slight making it easy to check blindspots (yes, I still do this manually)
Boot space is simply ridiculous – the main reason for us upgrading was that the 323 had a child seat anchor point at the lip of the boot, going diagonally across the luggage space. It meant that we couldn’t fit a car seat + pram in at the same time. Now, the boot is simply cavernous – the wife is very happy
Small things make a difference: the respective fog light turning on when navigating tight bends at night (or the car park). It’s not earth shattering, but a nice touch
The car simply looks good. The body proportions, lines, accents, all come together really nicely. I’ve had a number of people mention out of the blue that the car looks great.


Concerns/constructive criticism:


Android Auto is still not 100%. This was a major drawcard for me. Mapping, messaging are all fantastic, but Spotify is really not up to scratch: the 5 touch rule is just a pain; voice searching doesn’t work well at all; it’s the only ‘app’ that doesn’t work on occasion for me. It’s very frustrating at times – I’ll need to be more proactive in future: loading up playlists so that they’re in the ‘recently played’ category for example
I have detailed trip data, but can’t seem to see Range anywhere? Perhaps a setting I’ve missed. I’ve checked the ‘fuel consumption’ screen on the digital dash to no avail
There’s a fair amount of torque going through those front tyres, and given the handling, I suspect they’re pretty soft.. I wonder what durability will be like. I only really felt it going up the passes, so perhaps it won’t be so bad day-to-day. It was easier to get a feel for traction on the 323 where you felt a bit less insulated from the road.
ACC is great, but I really had to play with the ‘distance in front’ – on the middle distance setting, people would overtake and jump into the spot in front of me, then slow down (typical freeway driving in Australia I find – much worse the closer to Sydney). The middle distance was too appealing for others, and so I found I was just getting shuffled back. It made me really aware of how closely we tend to follow each other on freeways here.. not great. I changed it down to a 'closer' setting but I was a little less comfortable with the whole system at that distance.
The driving mode button on the left is a real pain – not the end of the world, but such an obvious oversight. It’s a little annoying they didn’t switch it to the right – I wonder if there’s a hack/work around we can do?
My driving mode doesn’t get remembered when I get in/out of the car – the central dash will remember the mode, but the actual gears will not be right (i.e. as they display in the digital dash – D1 instead of E1, D2 instead of E2 etc). I have to manually reselect the mode to get it right
Low front bumper – I need to be a little conscious with driveways.. only once where I’ve touched slightly, but it gave me a bit of a fright
Sometimes there is an element of DSG hesitance in town, but it’s ok. Engine auto-off is a little annoying, and I’d be keen to see figures on the impact it has. I know it can be coded off, but I’ll probably wait for the warranty to run its course..


Edit: And I should mention.. I didn't end up getting the luxury pack due to concerns about the longevity of the sunroof (we tend to keep our cars a while). I would have loved the lights though.. I've seen lighting modules advertised as aftermarket parts, so I wonder whether it's possible to upgrade the halogen units.. again, once the warranty expires I suspect!

34317

Jimi
05-07-2018, 11:27 PM
Nice review!!

Jubas
06-07-2018, 08:18 AM
Nice review!!

Cheers!

I've actually just seen that Frank has posted a video of it after the paint protection: Vid: VW Passat R - Definitive Sydney 4 Layers Gloss Enhancement Paint Protection (http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/f226/vid-vw-passat-r-definitive-sydney-4-layers-gloss-enhancement-paint-protection-123715.html)

Still need to figure out how to upload pics

AzzaC
06-07-2018, 04:47 PM
I have detailed trip data, but can’t seem to see Range anywhere? Perhaps a setting I’ve missed. I’ve checked the ‘fuel consumption’ screen on the digital dash to no avail


Easiest way I've found is;

In the digital dash menu scroll left/right and select 'View', then up/down to 'Consumption and Range'. The range should appear on the right, in the centre of the speedometer.

1 month into ownership for me and although I haven't taken it for an extended run, am loving every drive.

Jubas
09-07-2018, 09:44 AM
Easiest way I've found is;

In the digital dash menu scroll left/right and select 'View', then up/down to 'Consumption and Range'. The range should appear on the right, in the centre of the speedometer.

1 month into ownership for me and although I haven't taken it for an extended run, am loving every drive.

Ah yes, I see that's a good way to do it, although I must admit I much prefer the view with the current gear (left) and speed (right). It just seems clearer compared to the consumption/range view which is very congested with information. I was kind of hoping for a number that could sit next to the odo/trip number.

I've also been making use of the driver assist view in the middle of the screen, but am having difficulty determining what the white lines actually mean - sometimes they are bright, sometimes dark. I *think* they go bright as I start to veer towards them (before the adaptive system shifts me back), but it's not 100% clear

Wynnston
24-10-2018, 09:59 PM
Ah yes, I see that's a good way to do it, although I must admit I much prefer the view with the current gear (left) and speed (right). It just seems clearer compared to the consumption/range view which is very congested with information. I was kind of hoping for a number that could sit next to the odo/trip number.

I've also been making use of the driver assist view in the middle of the screen, but am having difficulty determining what the white lines actually mean - sometimes they are bright, sometimes dark. I *think* they go bright as I start to veer towards them (before the adaptive system shifts me back), but it's not 100% clear

Yes, the line highlight is indicating that it’s interacting and influencing your steering


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

P_132TSI_Rline
28-10-2018, 09:23 PM
Nice review Jubas. Like you few months ago I got my Passat my18 132 tsi comfortline with luxury and R line package.
Your points are spot on. I found to be not a fan of few things already mentioned in your post.
Stop-Start feature , at times activates before I made a full stop! I just turn that off soon as I sit in the car. Didnt like that feature with my previous mazda 6 either.
Drive mode, unless is set to Normal mode every time car is started have to chose sport or eco to drive in that mode. Not sure if that can be altered some how.
Eco mode is just to boring anyway ....
I just drive in normal and use the stick to change to sport mode when needed.
When purchased the car got hat paint protection put on as well.
Another thing to consider when insuring the car is to get accidental windscreen added on to your insurance.
After having the passat for 3 weeks truck flicked the stone and hit the passenger side of my windscreen.
O'Brians manged to fix that but they told me the cost to replace windscreen on passat is over $2000 as the camera system is attached to it!
So just something to think about.
Wonder if is possible to add speed cameras to navigation system? Anyone tried ?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/10/20180626131514-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/K1Ss3zPT)
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/10/20181028212843-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/bDphxg1Q)
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/10/20181028212904-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/2q4YLMLk)
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2018/10/20181028212715-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/mhds9QkH)

nibose
19-08-2020, 07:54 PM
Does the Passat (with R-line package) come with Dynaudio sound system? Cant see in the datasheet

doc_777
20-08-2020, 08:26 AM
Does the Passat (with R-line package) come with Dynaudio sound system? Cant see in the datasheet

No it doesn’t

nibose
20-08-2020, 10:09 AM
Thanks for the update. Which audio system does it come with? I thought I saw a centre speaker above the clock and one of the YouTube videos did mention surround sound.

How is the Passat Audio compared to Dynaudio? Is there a huge difference?

I'm asking because I've got a golf mk7.5 with Dynaudio but considering to upgrade to Passat comfortline 2019 with R-line pack.

kook
19-11-2020, 08:04 PM
Thanks for the update. Which audio system does it come with? I thought I saw a centre speaker above the clock and one of the YouTube videos did mention surround sound.

How is the Passat Audio compared to Dynaudio? Is there a huge difference?

I'm asking because I've got a golf mk7.5 with Dynaudio but considering to upgrade to Passat comfortline 2019 with R-line pack.

The centre channel is empty, just look through the windscreen and you'll see there's nothing in there.
Factory system is crap, once you take a speaker out you'll see why. They're probably a $5 special. I'm just going through the process of upgrading my system. I dont get my amps in till next week but LOTS of good sound deadening and Focals just running off the head unit is a big improvement already. I only have the tweeter & mid-bass wired in so far, mid-range will get connected when everything else is. Once they have some decent power behind them they'll really sing.

Three way components in a Passat B8 (https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/f78/three-way-components-passat-b8-131271.html)

nermal
22-11-2023, 09:05 AM
There's a center speaker in my MY18 Arteon.

It can be hard to see, but I was able to get some photos by shining a bright light in there while moving my camera around - easier to see with motion vs static photos. I can also hear it on certain tracks (or by putting my ear up close).


55542 55543 55544